Properly locking away your trash could help keep displaced bears alive this summer.
Many municipalities are considering implementing bear-resistant trash cans to help reduce human-bear contact. Kathy Murray, a WildSafeBC support worker, says she is working on a project to make bear-resistant trash cans more available.
“They’ve actually got a certified bear-resistant container. What that means is that the bins are certified with metal, and then they have two clasps that need to be clipped, so it makes it more difficult for the bears to access the garbage,” she explains.
Murray adds that nothing is bear-proof, only bear-resistant. The difference between bear-resistant and wildlife-resistant bins is that wildlife bins are used for other animals, such as raccoons, cougars, foxes, coyotes or skunks. She says more communities haven’t adopted them because they are expensive and complicated to get, and that the most effective method for stopping bears from eating trash is to store it inside a garage or in a hidden place.
Bears are attracted to human food because it is highly rich in nutrients, and some have become even more accustomed due to poor waste management, according to WildSafeBC. As a result, 10 municipalities in B.C. — Kamloops, Squamish, Lions Bay, Whistler, Port Alberni, Naramata, New Denver, Coquitlam, Port Hardy, and Castlegar — have adopted the BearSmart program to reduce human-bear encounters.
According to WildSafeBC, bears can become what is referred to as “food-conditioned,” meaning they start to lose their fear of human interactions. When bears no longer fear humans, it leaves the possibility for more human-bear conflicts.
Retired WildsafeBC project manager Frank Ritcey says bears are creatures of habit, and are great at finding out when garbage day is.
“They will return to the same spot if they know there is food there. If garbage day is Tuesday, you’ll see a lot more bear activity the Monday night before,” says Ritcey.
Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell says that when he was working at Wells Gray Park, installing bear-resistant bins impacted the number of human-bear interactions.
“We would drop a bear that was eating garbage far out in the forest, and that bear would be back about two to three days later, so it does make a huge difference,” he says.
WildSafeBC says the most common bears native to B.C. are black bears, with a population of approximately 100,000. The grizzly bear population, around 13,000, is considered vulnerable in B.C.
Murray says that we have chosen to live in wildlife habitats, and it’s our responsibility to ensure that people and bears coexist.
“If you choose to live in wildlife habitat, you’re going to have to lock up your garbage, manage your fruit trees. You may not be able to compost. If we all get on board and manage attractants, the result is going to be a cleaner and safer community for everyone.”
